In the past decades, scholars have been increasingly recognizing the importance of solid reputation building for the autonomy and legitimacy of independent regulatory agencies. In response to this...Show moreIn the past decades, scholars have been increasingly recognizing the importance of solid reputation building for the autonomy and legitimacy of independent regulatory agencies. In response to this growing body of research, this master thesis aims to understand the influence of the content of reputational threats on the reputational strategies of independent regulatory agencies (IRA). By investigating the reputational management of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers & Markets (ACM) during the Dutch energy crisis, this paper aims to shed light on the role of pre-existing levels of reputation. Using a qualitative framing analysis, this study argues that the ACM uses a more evasive response strategy regarding its functional areas that enjoy a solid reputation, whereas weaker reputations are more often protected with direct strategies. These evasive strategies include problem denial, promises of continued monitoring and managing public expectations. On the other hand, the direct responses include problem acknowledgment, taking active measures and emphasizing unique features. However, a too small sample of data was collected regarding the response strategy of unique features specifically. Moreover, the final hypothesis considers the role of prolonged reputational threats, yet mixed evidence left a conclusion impossible. Lastly, recognizing that regulatory agencies are perceived by the public as scientific institutions, this thesis maintains that it is important for regulatory agencies to properly divide its attention to all regulatory duties. This is necessary to avoid suspicion of bias due to reputational considerations and thereby impair the reputation they aim to protect.Show less
Today, reputation management is of great importance to public regulators. As a positive reputation can be a stepping stone for regulatory legitimacy, public regulators increasingly attempt to...Show moreToday, reputation management is of great importance to public regulators. As a positive reputation can be a stepping stone for regulatory legitimacy, public regulators increasingly attempt to cultivate a positive reputational image in the eyes of their audiences. However, while an abundance of research has been conducted on the reputational dimensions emphasized by EU agencies, little investigation has been done on what reputational dimensions its audiences consider when they assess the reputation of these bodies. Therefore, with the use of Carpenter’s (2010) multidimensional reputational framework, this work examined what reputational dimensions are valued by different audiences of EU regulatory agencies, specifically that of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). It tested two competing expectations. One expectation supposed that different audiences value different reputational dimensions, while the other regarded that different audiences value the same dimension. To inform these two expectations, fourteen semi-structured interviews were performed with representatives of NGOs, businesses and industry associations, academic organizations, and national regulatory authorities (NRAs). In addition, a qualitative content analysis of the audiences’ policy reports directed towards EFSA was performed. From this, this work found that different audiences valued different reputational dimensions, which also lead to several contradictory demands among the audiences. In addition, it found that several causal mechanisms played a role in explaining these different emphases on reputational domains, such as the resources and the structure of the audiences’ organizations and their professional interests and roles. Finally, this work provides several theoretical, methodological, and policy-relevant implications that are of relevance to both researchers in the bureaucratic reputation literature as well as practitioners of reputation management working in regulatory settings.Show less
